The Rise of Nocturna
by Nocturna-she-devil
Summary: My name is Nocturna. I'm one of the X-men. but I wasn't always. This is my story of how I found family, friends, and love, all from places I never expected.
1. Intro

I stood in what seemed to be a grand study or office of some sort. I was with Two teens I had come to know as Nightcrawler and Rogue. They were talking excitedly. I wasn't listening to much of what they were saying. Suddenly the doors open and in came a man in a very sophisticated motorized wheelchair. Nightcrawler and Rogue left.

"My name is Charles Xavier. I run a school for gifted youngsters. Most of the kids call me Professor X." He said with a smile. "You must be the new mutant Cerebro alerted me about."

"I guess so." I replied.

"A name was missing from your information. actually the only information I got was about your mutation. Is there a reason for that?" He asked with a concerned look.

I looked away. After a moment I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Nightcrawler.

"If it is to painful to tell don't worry. You and the professor can always talk about it later when you are ready." He said with a gentle smile. I looked over at the professor who nodded.

I took a deep breath. My story would have to be told it was better sooner than later.

"I was born in a small farming town in England" I began. "you didn't get a name because to my knowledge I do not have one."

I looked over to the Professor. There was a concerned sympathetic look in his eyes. I took it as a signal to keep going.

"Unlike most mutants I was born with some of my mutations already apparent. the most prominent was my appearance. I had bright red fur, my hair was a red tinted black, my canine teeth were fang like, and last but not least I had a long prehensile tail at the very tip of which was a sharp inverted heart shaped scale in the same shade of red as my fur. My parents were repulsed by my appearance and sold me to a circus freak show. It was there that I discovered my other abilities as I grew up."

I looked to the professor and Nightcrawler. The professor was busy with some paper work and Nightcrawler was leaning in the edge of the desk. The professor looked up from his writing when he noticed my silence.

"At what ages did you discover your mutations respectively?" He asked.

"Immortality at seven, shape shifting at twelve, and teleportation at seventeen" I replied looking down. "Those stories I would rather not tell just yet."

"Very well. Now there is just one more issue to face before we can get you enrolled here. You need to choose a name for yourself." He stated calmly.

I must have looked at the professor like he had two heads because Nightcrawler burst out laughing. The professor gave him a stern look Before turning to me and asking,

"I understand that choosing a name for yourself will take sometime. In the meantime is there a nickname or something of the sort you would like to go by?"

I thought for a moment. I had always had stage names. I hated the ones that were actually used for my act but there was one that an old fortune teller had suggested that I adored.

"I would like to be called Nocturna." I declared.


	2. What makes a name

Thirty minutes later I was getting settled into my first real bedroom. it was so different to actually have my own space where I felt truly safe. Nightcrawler was sitting on the bed watching me. He was smiling like an idiot. Eventually I went over an sat down beside him.

"So whats your real name?" I asked.

"It Kurt, Kurt Wagner" He tilted his had to the side a little "Do you really not have a name?"

"I've never had a name that wasn't some vulgar stage name. Never had a real family either" I ran a hand through my hair and heaved a sigh "How do parents name their kids any ways so many choices."

Kurt laughed."I don't know, you have a good point there" suddenly He turned rather shy. "perhaps... well perhaps I could help you."

For the first time In my life I smiled. "of course you can."

Kurt smiled. "Thank you very much. Now lets think for a minute..."

Suddenly a girl came bursting through the door. I was so startled I feel off the bed. I pulled myself up slowly and looked at the girl. Tall and skinny with long brown hair tied up in a pony tail.

She looked at me for a moment before speaking. "Like whoa the professor wasn't kidding when he said a another Nightcrawler joined the team" she held out a hand to me "I Kathrine my friends call me Kitty. Whats your name?" She asked.

I had never been one for physical contact and I was embarrassed abut not having a name. I crossed my arms and looked down. "I... don't have a name." I murmured.

Kitty looked confused. She opened and closed her mouth several times. She was either trying not to sound stupid or trying to not offend me. I couldn't tell yet.

"Excuse me for butting in but perhaps I could explain?" Kurt asked. "Unless you want to explain it Nocturna?"

I shook my head I was starting to feel sick. "Explain away Kurt."

He nodded giving me a sympathetic look then turning to Kitty. "Nocturna lacks a name because she grew up in a circus side show. According to her shes only ever had stage names not anything she could use to enroll in school."

Before Kurt had finished speaking I found myself wrapped in a huge hug from Kitty.

"What a terrible way to grow up."

I panicked when she grabbed me. I teleported away from her, to the other side of the room. I was shaking badly. I had flashbacks, and they really sucked. and this was a bad one.

_It was the night that I turned seventeen. The owner came to my cage drunk. He wanted sex. I said no. He didn't like that and tried to force it on me. In my panic trying to fight him off I accidentally stabbed him with my tail. He crumbled to the floor of the cage. Blood bubbled past his lips. I backed to the farthest corner of my cage. I wanted to be somewhere else anywhere else. I closed my eyes and when I opened them I was in an abandoned building, a hospital from the looks of it._

When I finally snapped out of it I was curled up in a tiny ball. Kurt was beside me. The look on his face was somewhere between concern and fear. I sat up slowly with my back against the wall. The feeling of sickness was over whelming. It took a few minutes to subside. I looked at Kurt the fear was leaving but the concern was as strong as ever.

"what was that?" He asked.

"it was a flashback. it happens sometimes. Don't ask me to explain what I was seeing, it could trigger another one." I murmured.

I looked over at the bed. Kitty was still sitting there. I motioned for her to come over and after a moment she did. When she sat down in front of her I took her hand s in mine.

"I know that probably scared you. And before you ask not you didn't cause that. That was a flash back they happen when I get stressed. Bringing up my past in front of so many people is what triggered it." I explained. "it was building for a while. it just happened to hit when you hugged me thats all. understand?"

she nodded.

I smiled "Now how about we get back to finding my name?" I asked.

Kurt and Kitty both nodded.

"are there any books or stories that you've read and enjoyed?" Kitty asked.

I thought for a moment. I had read many stories but two came to mind as favorites. "The exorcist and The phantom of the opera" I replied.

Kitty nodded.

"Favorite characters?" asked Kurt.

"Christine from Phantom of the opera and Regan from the Exorcist." I replied. "Those names match up pretty well no matter which way you put them together."

Kurt and Kitty smiled.

"Well it seems our new arrival is already making friends." called the professor from the doorway.

We all looked over at him. I stood up and walked over to him.

"Kurt and Kitty were helping me to find a name for myself. I explained with a smile.

"Have you found a name?" asked the professor.

"Christine Regan. I still need a last name though." I replied.

"Might I suggest Xavier?" he asked.


	3. Toad isn't much of a toad after all

It was a few days after I arrived at the mansion that I began my training. My first training session was in the danger room. It left me with a limp for the next two days thanks to my training partner The Scarlet Witch. Everything that came at her was redirected at me. Currently Quicksilver was helping me to my room, and flirting obnoxiously the entire time.

I had my arm draped around his shoulder and his was around my waist.

He was smiling like a fox in a hen house. He leaned in close and whispered. "Baby girl you look like you could be a real sweet dream"

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away. I leaned against the wall glaring at him. " Listen you bloody idiot to a boy like you I'm no sweet dream I'm a beautiful nightmare."

He only smiled stepping closer. "I like girls who like to fight. actually I like girls in general..." he chuckled.

I started to panic I felt cornered and there was no way I could run and I couldn't trust where I might end up if I teleported in the state Quicksilver was putting me in. I had been keeping a fairly human appearance around everyone except Kurt, Kitty, and Professor X. At the moment I was extremely tempted to change that. but for the moment I was just going to try to talk it out.

"One I fight dirty not fair. Two my last name is Xavier for a reason Professor X adopted me you mess with me if I don't hurt you he will." I was starting to hyperventilate.

Quicksilver moved to kiss me and I shifted to my natural form. He jerked back with a yelp and sped off. I began to limp off to my room when I heard a loud crash. Ignoring my pain I ran to see what had happened apparently in his hurry to get away from me Quicksilver had run into and over one of his fellow brotherhood mutants. Toad was his name. He was on the ground on his back apparently stunned. I pulled him to his feet and leaned him against the wall.

"are you alright?" I asked.

Toad nodded his head slowly. Then he turned to look at me. His eyes went wide for a moment as he looked me over then he shook his head

"Either you're a new mutant or you're Nightcrawler and you really need to stop messing with your image inducer." He muttered.

"I'm new. I'm Nocturna." I replied as I held out my hand.

He hesitated for a moment "Toad." He said as he shook my hand. "I better be getting to my room." He said as he began to walk off.

I nodded and began to limp back to my own room when I felt a arm wrap around my waist again it was higher up then Quicksilver but still respectful of my body. I looked over to see that it was Toad. When our eyes met for a second he looked away

"You looked like you could use some help." he mumbled. "How did you get so banged up anyways?"

"I was paired with The Scarlet Witch for a training session in the danger room." I replied.

"Let me guess everything that was thrown at her was redirected at you." he asked. I could only nod.

"Let me know if I need to leave you alone." Toad mumbled.

"Why would you need to do that?" I asked. "All you're doing is helping me get to my room."

"don't try to sugar coat things sweet heart you and I both know that I stink to high heavens." He replied.

"That doesn't bother me its part of your mutation" I smiled at him "how about this you don't mess with me about how I look and I won't mess with you over how you smell deal?"

Toad smiled. "Deal."


	4. Entry Exams Suck And Kurt Disappears?

The next day I was sitting on my bed, in my room when there was a knock on my door. Without waiting for an answer they walked in. It was Kurt.

"Heard you took a few hits in the danger room. are you okay?" he asked as he walked in and sat down in front of me.

"I'm fine, but I'm never going in the danger room with Wanda again. I'm also never getting Pietro to walk me back to my room again. He came on to me a little strong..." I said as I looked over toward my closet.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked.

" He tried to kiss me. I scared him off by showing him my actual appearance." I said as i laid across my bed.

Kurt growled a bit. "He's done that to Kitty to. He really needs to be stopped." His tail had began to flick back and forth from irritation.

I looked at Kurt. "Kurt I'm fine after I scared him off I ran into Toad and he walked me back here. Toad can be rather sweet when he wants to be."

Kurt looked at me like I had two heads then he shook his head. "I know he can be but don't look to far into it." He stood to leave. "by the way you need to be ready for school on Monday morning The professor has convinced the school board to let you enroll if you can pass a few Entry exams to show you have the basic intellect to be in high school."

"Do I need to use a human appearance?" I asked.

"They didn't say but I would if I were you." Kurt replied as he walked out the door pulling it shut with his tail as he walked out.

I stared at the door for a second wondering what I had said that bothered Kurt so bad for him to leave suddenly.

The following Monday I was up bright and early. Instead of my usual tube top I was wearing a blue tight fitting t-shirt. I kept my hair its natural color and tied it up in a high ponytail. I had to try it a few times before I got it just right. as I was about to walk out I realized that Kurt had avoided me the whole weekend. I was really starting to worry if I had upset him. I brushed the thought from my mind. I had bigger things to worry about like the Exams I was going to have to take once I got to school.

I opened my door to see Storm with her hand raised about to knock. She seemed startled for a second then lowered her hand to her side with a smile.

"are you ready for school Christine?" She asked.

"School yes. my entry exams no." I looked away. "I was raised in a freak show I'm not going to know what They say I should."

Gentle hands cupped my cheeks and turned my head so I was looking into Storm's eyes.

"You will do just fine. Your former life does not define you. I can only hope that you will eventually see that." She said with a concerned almost motherly tone.

I nodded slowly. "lets get going shall we?"

Storms hands released my cheeks. "I will be driving you to school this morning something has come up for the professor and he won't be able to come with us."

I nodded again. "Lead the way."

Storm turned and motioned for me to follow her. I did so, thoughts turning back to Kurt.

"Storm has Kurt been busy over the weekend? I haven't seen him or Kitty for that matter. We usually talk every day. I haven't seen them since Thursday night, when Kurt stopped by to tell me about today." I asked.

"I have not seen them, Christine" Storm replied.

About forty-five minutes later I was sitting in a room with gray walls and carpet that was so stained that I didn't know what color it may have originally been. Across from me sat a tall middle-aged man with a balding head. He pushed The first of five large packets toward me

"Alright Ms. Xavier these are standardized test from grades eight through twelve. you will start at eight and continue until you fail a test. You can start now." He said as he handed me a pencil.

I stared at the packet for a second before opening it and beginning to work. I knew most of the answers and finished the first test in about an hour. it took about thirty minutes for the man to grade it then he pushed the next test towards me. it was the same story with this one. When the third one was pushed toward me I was feeling confident. This one however took an hour and a half. mostly because my stomach was telling me that it was empty. I guess the instructor noticed Because as I finished he checked his watch.

"Well Ms. Xavier you have been at this for almost five hours. You probably need to eat so how about I walk you over to the cafeteria for lunch?" He asked.

I nodded as my stomach let out a particularly loud growl. The man stood and motioned for me to follow him. We walked by lockers and class rooms. The school seemed to be very large. at one point Toad hopped up beside me.

"Hey there doll face." he said as he transitioned from hopping to walking.

I smiled. "Hey Toad."

"So are you starting school here?" He asked.

"Yes I am." I replied.

"So why are you being escorted around by a teacher still? Usually you would have been dumped off on another student by now." He asked.

"Well Toad my situation is quite unique I had never been to school before Professor X adopted me. I am having to take entry exams to see where I should be." I explained.

"So whats your opinion of school?" He asked.

"No opinions on school so far but entry exams suck." I replied


	5. Kurt's gone and there is a new mutant

I ended up in the eleventh grade. To say I was surprised an understatement. Everyone was happy and congratulated me. I would have been happy to but I was really worried about Kurt. At lunch I ended up sitting with the former brotherhood members and I talked to Pietro, he hadn't seen Kurt except for a few seconds Thursday night. From what Pietro told me Kurt was acting off before he ever came to my room that night.

As soon as I got home I went straight to Kurt's room. The door was open so I walked in. When I looked directly at the door I realized that it was hanging by the bottom hinge. I almost turned and ran right then but I had to keep going I was worried about Kurt. The room was dark the mirror on the closet door was shattered and the dresser and bed were trashed. Shredded bedding, clothes, and broken glass were everywhere. I shifted to my natural form just in case Kurt or what ever had done this was still around.

I walked carefully looking at everything and listening. I heard something coming from the closet. It sounded like crying and it was coming from the closet. I tried the door but it was barricaded. I ported inside. Kitty was in the furthest corner of the closet possible. Her shirt was torn and she was sobbing. when she saw me she screamed. I stepped back.

"Kitty calm down its me Christine." I said as I sat down a short distance from her.

She stopped screaming and looked at me. when she realized who I was she crawled over to me and hugged me tightly. She was hysteric I couldn't understand what she was saying. I rubbed her shoulder and spoke to her soothingly. Eventually she calmed down.

"Kitty what happened? why were you so scared?" I asked.

"I heard Kurt growling and his door was open, so I walked in. He attacked me. He wasn't normal thought. He was more wild, his hair was longer and more wild, He had claws and His eyes... oh god his eyes... They were solid black. I phased in here to get away from him. I think he ported off after I did it. He was like a wild animal. " at That point She lapsed back into tears.

I teleported us to my room. I laid Kitty in my bed and tucked her in. She pulled the blankets up over her head. I stayed until she began to snore softly. At that point I was off like a shot to find my father.

I found him in his office. I hadn't bothered to knock. Not that I really needed to, daddy was psychic after all. He looked worried.

"What is wrong Christine?" He asked.

"Kurt is gone and he attacked Kitty before he left." I stated flatly.

My father looked at me clearly shocked.

"How did you figure that out?" He asked.

"I hadn't seen him since Thursday night when you sent him to tell me about school today. He was acting distant until I mentioned Pietro being rather forward with me and he reacted aggressively. He left without warning I figured he had gone to confront Pietro. I ended up sitting with Pietro and Todd at lunch today and Pietro told me that he hadn't seen him since before I did and that he was acting off even then. So the first place I go when I get home is Kurt's room and its a disaster area. I found Kitty barricaded in the closet. She was scared half to death. and me being in my natural form when I ported in to check on her didn't help she screamed like she was seeing the devil himself. I got her to tell me what happened. Then I took her to my room and let her lay down in my bed. She is sleeping now. She told me that something was wrong with Kurt. He wasn't normal from what Kitty told me. He was beast like longer wilder hair, he had claws, and his eyes were solid black." I replied.

Before we could say anything more an alarm went off on Cerebro. I leaned on My father's desk while he went to check it out. When he came back he looked ever so slightly amused.

"What's up with the look dad?" I asked.

"Its never often the Cerebro locates two mutants in the same place. There is another mutant at the freak show you ran from. I believe you know him. His name is Robin Skylark."

"His mother took care of me when I was first sold to that god awful place. He's like a brother to me." I ran a hand through my hair. "The boy has wings how did you not find him years ago?"

The professor shrugged. "Cerebro doesn't always pick up physical mutations they usually have to have some underlying ability. In the case of Mr. Skylark its is the ability to heal the wounds of others through a single touch."

"Are you going to send someone to try to recruit him?" I asked. "I would very much like to go it would be good for him to see a friend."

"You can go Christine." He replied.


	6. Return to the Evanshire freakshow

About an hour later I was sitting in the X-jet with Wolverine, Rogue, and Cyclopes.

"So the professor said you know this kid?"Wolverine asked me.

"Yes we grew up together actually. His mother raised me when I was first brought to the freak show." I replied.

Wolverine raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you grew up in a cage?"

"I wasn't caged until age seven, when the freak show owner figured out that there was more to my mutation then just an altered physical appearance." I replied with a shudder. "even then Robin and his mother cared for me. They would sneak books and extra food to me when they could. Its thanks to them that I have the names that I do."

"So this kid and his mother gave you the name Nocturna?" Rouge asked.

"Yes, and they gave me the books that lead to my being named Christine Regan." I replied with a nod.

" I've been meaning to ask this for a while but how do you have so many powers?" she asked.

"I haven't the faintest idea really. Guess that just the way I was born." I replied. " right now what we should be thinking about is how we convince Robin to leave the freak show. He grew up quite differently from me. He was idolized where I was despised. Even seeing me again might not so easily persuade him to leave."

"Yeah but you've gotta admit that seeing you again might lean the odds ever so slightly in our favor." Added Cyclopes. "we're going to be landing soon is there anything specific we need to know about Robin?"

"He is very easily intimidated and won't hesitate to take for the sky if we are outdoors. it would be best for Wolverine to keep a safe distance until we can get Robin indoors." I replied.

"I thought freak shows traveled?" asked Wolverine.

"Most do but the Evanshire Circus and Freak Show is unique, it has its own piece of land so it usually doesn't travel as a whole but certain acts will travel separately." I replied. "most of the buildings are permanent structures. it might be best if we don't actually go to find him until after midnight. it will minimize our chances of being seen."

"Why are you so worried about being seen Nocturna?" Rogue asked,

"Robin is more likely to recognize my normal non shifted appearance, and I accidentally killed one of the old owners so I'm pretty sure I'm more then likely wanted for murder." I replied.

"Waited you killed someone?" asked Cyclopes shock apparent in his voice.

"Its not like I meant to. I was trying to avoid being sexually assaulted and while we were struggling the lovely sharp scale on my tail went straight through his heart. I didn't notice what had happened until He collapsed and I was able to push him off. I panicked and teleported for the first time." I replied annoyed by his underlying tone of accusation.

"sounds to me like the guy had it coming, don't see how you could get stuck with a murder charge." Wolverine muttered.

"No witnesses, Owner is dead in my cage, and last but not least I'm missing, yeah you're right a murder charge isn't gonna stick." I replied sarcastically.

Rogue started to crack up.

"go ahead and laugh Rogue." I say as I begin to laugh.

A few hours later we were making our way through the English countryside on a moonless night. It was midnight. As we picked our way across the field wolves howled in the distance. I couldn't help but smile at the familiar sound. I had always dreamed of being free like them and now I was. For a moment I almost wondered why I was returning to this hell that was the Evanshire freak show, but then my thoughts turned to Robin and his mother. I knew that they must be worried about me. Before the professor had adopted me they were the closest thing to a family I had ever known.

After about twenty minutes we came into view of what could have been a small village, but I knew all to well what it really was. We had reached the gates of my own personal hell, the Evanshire freak show. Just seeing the place again twisted my stomach into knots. For a few seconds I froze. I wanted to turn and run, but I stayed. I had to see Robin again.

We walked to the back of the grounds where all of the performers kept their houses. A short distance away from our destination I motioned for the others to stay back as I continued on alone. WhenI was about to reach the house in question the front door opened. I froze as the light spilled out of the door way on to me.

Just as suddenly as it hit me the light vanished as the door slammed. I was about to turn and run when The door flew open again and I found myself suddenly wrapped in two very tight hugs. I wrapped my arms around them the best I could. After a moment they stepped away.

Robin was the first one to speak. "Where the bloody hell have you been Nocturna, me and mum have been worried sick over you?" He asked.

"Well its a long story Robin" I replied.

"Long story or short its not fit to be told out in the damp" interrupted Mrs. Skylark. "Come inside, love and you can tell us why you left."

I was lead inside by Mrs. Skylark. Robin followed behind us. The house was small and modest. The furniture was old fashioned. it was the same as when I was little, except for the fact that on the dining room table was a large old leather-bound book. it was around the table that we sat.

"Alright now love where have you been?" Mrs. Skylar asked.

"I've been in America. I have a family there." I replied.

"Then I take it that Xavier found you?" she asked.

"How... How did you know about that?" I asked in turn.

"I have my ways dear, Now why did you leave?" she asked.

"I killed the owner by accident the night that I left." I replied hanging my head.

"It wasn't an accident Love. It was fate for you to do that just like it was fate that you teleported for the first time when you left." She said as she leaned across the table to take my hands in hers. They were unnaturally cold.

"How did you know that happened? Madame Skylark how do you know these things?" I asked as I jerked my hands free of hers.

"You will understand before you and Robin leave." She replied as she opened the book. "This story starts a very long time ago. I was the second ever mutant to be born. I was born on an island long since claimed by the sea. I am immortal. My only children were two boys one of which was taken from me the very night of his birth. His brother was born a year later. He was left with me. I named him Azazel. He had what one would call a demonic appearance. I always knew where my boys were and what was happening to them. I also know what their children are doing."

Robin looked confused and I'm fairly certain I did to. I was about to ask what she was getting at when she raised a hand to silence me.

"I know that you are both confused but just listen to me for a moment longer. You will understand. Robin you are not my son but my grandson born to my eldest son born a Cheyarafim, and Nocturna you are my granddaughter born to Azazel born a Neyaphem."

My jaw dropped and so did Robin's. "What?" we both managed to squeak out.

Robin regained his senses a bit faster than I did. "What are you playing at? do you honestly expect us to believe that mum?" He demanded.

I looked at Madame Skylark her face was straight and she made no effort to break eye contact with either of us. I put a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"She is telling us the truth Robin." I looked at her sternly. "My only question is why wait until now?"

"you did not need to know until now." She replied with a small somewhat disturbing smile. as she closed the book and handed it to me. " There are dark times ahead for you both. The decisions you make from this day forward will shape the fate of the world. Go now both of you and best of luck."

Robin and I both stood. I took the book and we looked at each other. Then we looked back toward our grandmother only to find that she was gone. Without another word we left. Both of us were both in a state of shock. I myself was also feeling an over whelming sense of dread. My grand mother seemed to be quite unsettling to me. She seemed to know more then she let on. It was almost like she was planning something. My gut told me that it wasn't good.

Back on the X-jet all I could do was sit and go over every thing that my grand mother had said. Every word and action played it self over and over in my head. The way she seemed to look down at us. The speed with which I had been taken into the house. The woman I had just spoken to was not the same woman from my childhood. Something was wrong but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.


	7. Confrontation,Confession, and Revalation

Once we had returned to the institute I show Robin around and introduced him to the other kids. He made fast friends with Scott. that didn't surprise me in the least. Robin had always been a friendly person. His personality seemed almost magnetic in how people seemed to be naturally drawn to him.

Everyone was drawn to him, well almost everyone was. A certain speed demon avoided him like a plague. Not that I blamed him, Robin had watched how he flirted with me and quickly became overprotective of me. He went as far as knocking Pietro out with a wicked left hook. We had been outside on the grounds of the institute when it had happened. Robin left after he knocked Pietro out.

I probably should have just left Pietro sprawled out on the ground where he was. However I didn't I picked the poor boy up and ported to the med-bay. Once Pietro was safely tucked away in a bed I turned to leave and promptly ran in to Logan. He growled and tried to shove his way past me but I stood my ground.

"Out of the way Kid." He rumbled.

"I don't know who you think you are but trust me I'm not scared of your lone wolf tough guy act." I replied.

"Listen you stupid kid you need to realize just who you're talking to." He sneered.

"I'm not just some bloody kid from a broken home, or the proverbial black sheep. I've been reduced to the status of an animal before. Hell's going to freeze before I let anyone do that again and that includes you. So if you're going to keep trying to push me around or get in my face just stop because its not bloody happening not today or any other day." I replied before porting off to my room.

When I got there Mystique was waiting for me. She seemed worried.

"The professor told me that you may need to speak with me. He said it was about Kurt." She seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Is my son alright?"

I sat down beside her. I wasn't sure why my dad hadn't told her what was going on or perhaps he had and Mystique thought there was more that I knew.

"Kurt is missing. He was acting off Thursday before last and sometime between that night and Friday morning he attacked Kitty then left. No one has seen him since." I explained before asking "Is there anyone that might wish Kurt harm? His biological Father perhaps?"

"I don't think Azazel would try to harm Kurt." She whispered.

"What name did you just say?" I asked as an eerie sense of Déjà vu crept over me.

"Azazel, Why?" She asked giving me a sideways glance.

"That just happens to be my fathers name." I said as I got up and walked over to my dresser.

Even thought I desired very much to throw it out I had ended up keeping the book that grandmother had given to Robin and I. It turned out to be a family album of sorts. I turned to a page that contain a portrait of my biological father and showed it to Mystique.

"Is this Kurt's father?" I asked.

All Mystique could do was nod.

I sighed. "That means that Kurt and I are half siblings. Do you have any idea where Azazel is?"

Mystique shook her head then thought for a moment. "He once mentioned a brimstone dimension. I don't know if that helps any, I haven't seen or spoken to him since before Kurt was born so I don't know where he actually is." She looked away ashamed.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I swear I will go through Hell and back again if it means my brother's safe return home."

Mystique pulled me down into a tight hug. "Thank you."

As I hugged her back gently a very good question passed through my mind. My grandmother knew everything about me yet failed to mention anything about anyone except my father. If she knew what she did about me then surely she knew about Kurt. Why keep that from me, especially when his life maybe in danger.

_Something about this just isn't right._


	8. Going to Hell

After Mystique had left I walked down to my fathers study. The door was open. To my surprise my adoptive father was talking to my grandmother. As I stepped into the room they both stopped talking and looked over at me. My father was innocent in this matter but for my grandmother that was another story. I was very pissed off because of her. I decided to play it cool.

"Gran do you get a kick out of withholding important information from people?" I asked.

"Love I'm afraid I don't" she began.

"Cut the crap woman you told me yourself you knew where your grand-kids are. My brother Kurt is in trouble and you didn't tell me." I cut in surprised by my sudden change in temper.

"I didn't tell you because I thought you knew where he was. Now you're standing here telling me hes in trouble. Its obvious that you now something I don't." She replied.

"Do you know where he is?" I asked.

"He's in the brimstone dimension with your father or so I thought." She replied looking very caught off guard.

"And why did you think he was there?" I asked.

A single tear slid down her cheek as her voice cracked. "Your father is dying, or so I thought. now..."

"Now you don't know what to think." I finished mentally rolling my eyes at her lacking skills in acting. "Gran how would I go about getting into the brimstone dimension?"

"You have to teleport in. You might want to take that nice young man Logan with you, you'll be in over your head if you don't." She replied with a smirk.

"Logan is over 100 years old Gran thats not exactly young, and hes not nice at all." I replied in turn.

Gran smiled almost knowingly. "when you get to be as old as I am seeing someone who is 100 years old will be like looking at a newborn baby, and as for the man being nice you just haven't seen that side yet, that will happen soon though." and with that being said she vanished.

I shuddered. "She really knows how to creep people out."

Daddy looked concerned. "She certainly does Christine."

"Well I probably need to go find Wolverine..." I started.

"Don't bother Nocturna I'm right behind you." He replied behind me causing me to jump. "Did I scare you?"

"I was already creeped out because of my grand mother, but yes you did scare me." I replied as I turned around.

Wolverine laughed.

"Yeah keep laughing I kind of deserve it after going off on you earlier." I replied.

Wolverine stopped laughing. "I ran into your grandmother a while ago. "

Once again I was pissed at Gran and a little wary. "What did she tell you?"

Wolverine crossed his arms. "She told me why you went off like you did."

I grimaced. "guess I owe her a bit of thanks then."

"More then likely you do." He replied raising an eyebrow. "Now I believe that I overheard something about a trip to the brimstone dimension?"

"Yeah I'm going there to more then likely rescue Kurt and see what's going on with my biological father." I replied.

"I've been there once with Kurt. its a lot like Hell You're going to need help. I'm going with you." Wolverine stated.

"Alright" I held out my hand."Off to Hell we go."

Wolverine took my hand and we teleported. When we landed we were in a dimly lit dungeon. all around us we monstrosities of all shapes and sizes. but mixed in with the monters were several individuals who bore slight resemblances to either myself or Kurt. In fact one of them was Kurt. He looked like hell personified. I still found myself running toward him. The moment he saw me he lashed out growling and snarling like an animal. This set off a few other near by monsters and for once I thanked god for growing up in a circus because back-flipping and the ability to do a complete split came in really handy getting away from them.

Just then I heard a door screech open and six Demonic looking guards rushed in. I looked over at Wolverine. He already had his claws out and ready for a fight.

"Nocturna get behind me." He ordered.

"Like hell I will." I replied.

"Its your funeral." He sighed before laying into the nearest guard.

Now growing up and training in a the circus one has the chance to learn many things. even being caged I was still able to learn swordsmanship and bits and pieces of several martial arts. Now with the guards rushing at me it was time to put my limited skills to the test. A guard rushed at me sword drawn I dropped to one knee as the blade flew over my head then while he was off balance for his strikes failure to connect I launched my self at him driving my shoulder into his solar plexus. He fell in a heap gasping for breath. I used my tail to stab him in the heart. For a moment I shuddered remembering the circus owner.

I backed away from the corpse only to find my self between two guards. I dropped into a split as blades rushed past. The guards had been to close together when they had swung. One had his chest gashed open and the other had his stomach laid open. I yelped and ported near Wolverine.

"How many have you got?" I asked.

"I've got one. working on two" there was a sickening crack of bone. "Make that I've got two."

"Five down, one to..." A spiked tail was forced through my chest. I fell to my knees. Wolverine was fighting the thing before it even had its tail out of me. it could have been seconds or minutes I'm not sure which but eventually the tail was pulled free. I recovered quickly and leapt to my feet grabbing a fallen guards sword. I turned just in time to see Wolverine batted across the room like a child's plaything. I rushed at the guard and he turned blocking my first strike easily. We traded blows each falling harder then the last but none managing to find their mark. Then as I was blocking a strike that would have pierced my heart three blades burst through the guards chest. I stepped to the side as he fell. Wolverine was standing right behind him.

"Don't you think it would have been a good idea to tell me you're immortal?!" He growled.

"I thought that Gran would have told you." I replied.

"Well we need to get going. we aren't getting any closer to getting Kurt home if we just stand here like idiots." Wolverine grumbled.


	9. Swords, blade tipped tails, and betrayal

We ran out the dungeon's door and into a long corridor. Everything was black or crimson in color. We walked slowly both watching and listening. Wolverine had his blades at the ready and I still had the sword I had taken from one of the guards who had attacked us. After what seemed like an eternity we ended up at what seemed to be a convergence of several hallways. I could hear faint whispers most of which came from behind us but I could also hear two from the hallway straight ahead of us.

I didn't bother to ask Wolverine if he could hear them I had a feeling that this was something to do with my grandmother. Suddenly one of the whispers rose in volume. It sounded strained, and weak like a dying man forcing out his last words.

_I know not what you seek... but turn back... _

I shuddered. It was not a threat but a warning. It had come from ahead of us.

I turned to Wolverine. "I think we need to go straight ahead."

"and why is that?" he asked.

After a small inner debate I told Wolverine about the whispers. "They come from two directions, most are behind us, but two are ahead of us. one of the two ahead of us just tried to warn me away. It was a man's voice. He sounded as if he were dying."

Wolverine shook his head. "Nocturna you have one very strange family."

I sighed before shaking my head and continuing on my way forward. Wolverine muttered something behind me before following me. As we ran the voices grew in volume. The same voice for before spoke again.

_Turn back my child... lest you be enslaved as well... _

My heart beat painfully at the words my child and enslaved. I tightened my grip on the sword. I didn't know if he would hear me but I stil cast a thought in his direction.

_Who are you? Why do you warn me away?_

A jolt of pain came across what appeared to be some sort of mental connection.

_I am Azazel... your father... I warn you away... because you are... in great danger... I am dying... poisoned by... your eldest brother..._ The voice faded into a whisper again.

I didn't realize that I had stopped until I felt Wolverine's hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright, Nocturna?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Not really. Gran was right about one thing my father is indeed dying. He's been poisoned. Kurt and the others are all enslaved some how." I felt a tear slide down my cheek. I brushed it away with my free hand as sadness suddenly turned to rage. "My eldest brother is responsible for this. I'm going to rip his bloody head off for it." I snarled.

Wolverine smiled. "Then what are we waiting for?"

We were both of running again at the end of this hall was a grand entry ways of sorts. We were under a stair way and I could hear one of the voices clearly this one was strong, menacing, and completely insane. It was right above us. In my limited training with the X-men I had one thing drilled into my head and that was a set of hand signals. I stopped Wolverine and using the signals told him what was going on.

**Stop. Enemy over head. advance may prove fatal. Fall back and regroup. **

We retreated a short distance and I told Wolverine what I heard. "Hes completely mad I tell you, absolutely bonkers. His thoughts were unorganized and chaotic. I couldn't understand much of what was going on in his head. but what I could understand wasn't something either of us would like "

Just the a voice rang out in the hall. "I know you are there dear sister why don't you come out so I can see you?"

I gave one last set of signals to Wolverine.

**Stay here. Lay low. Do not follow me. **

With that I walked out into the entry way. When I was at its center I turned around. Standing at the top of the stairs was my brother.

He had an evil smile across his face. "Welcome home dear sister."

I raised my sword. "You are no brother of mine."

Wolverine came to stand beside me. "You're going to need some help." He muttered.

before I could ask what he meant the room began to fill with guards.

I held my sword at the ready as my brother spoke again. "I don 't know why I couldn't get to you like I could for the others, but no matter the guards will take care of you and your little friend."

As the Guards closed in Wolverine and I stood back to back. Neither of us wanted the other to be attacked from behind. Strikes and blocks blurred into one. With so many blades flying injuries were unavoidable. Blood sprayed in all directions. when ever one guard fell another quickly took his place. Wolverine and I were about to be over whelmed.

Just then one of the guards pointed across the room and as suddenly as the fighting had started it stopped. I looked to where the guard pointed leaning in the door way was my father. His chest was heaving. He looked like he could drop dead at any moment. I ported to his side just as his grip on the door way failed. I put his arm around my shoulders.

"You just don't listen do you?" He whispered.

"Not when family is at stake." I replied.

"What are you waiting for" shouted my brother "Kill them! Kill them all!"

The guards looked from My brother to my father and back again.

Again my brother shouted. "Kill them you idiots! kill them now!"

I lowered my father to the floor gently. As my brother prepared to yell his orders I ported in front of him balancing on the hand rail in a crouched position. He took a step back. I wrapped my tail around his throat and pulled him with in my reach. when he was in arms reach i grabbed him my hand replacing my tail.

"Shut your bloody mouth you traitorous bastard." I jerked him over the guard rail. "Wolverine catch!" I threw my brother and Wolverine caught him on all six of his blades.

I ported down to them and wrenched my brother off the blades. He winced and collapsed against me I pushed him to the floor. " Release my siblings and I will release you."

He looked up at me with wide tear filled eyes. "Please don't kill me."

I bent down and seized him by the throat. "lets go see our siblings shall we?" I asked as I ported us back to the dungeons.

Once we arrived back at the dungeons I jerked my brother to feet and dragged him over to Kurt. "Release them." I ordered giving my brother a rough shake as I did so.

Slowly Kurt began to return to normal as did our other chained and caged siblings. When he appeared to be normal again he looked around and terror filled his eyes. The brother I held began to whimper.

"There back to normal. now release me like you promised." He whimpered.

I forced him to his knees. One hand under his chin the other across the back of his head. "I've always said that death should be a release." With a violent jerk of my hands I snapped his neck.

Kurt screamed as our brothers body fell to the floor. He looked at me like I was a stranger. Frankly I was a stranger to myself at the moment to.

"Where am I? Who is he? Why did you kill him?" He asked.

"Its a long story Kurt I will tell you when I've got you free." I replied.

Kurt ported free. "Alright now tell me." He demanded.


	10. The Price of Family

Several hours later I was still explaining things to Kurt with our father's help. Wolverine leaned against the wall nearby shaking him mhead at my frustration with Kurt.

"So do you understand now? I asked after repeating myself for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

Kurt started to nod then shook his head.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh okay lets try the simple version. about three weeks ago on Thursday you started acting weird. you were aggressive and edgy. You were also very distracted. At some point that night you attacked Kitty. Then I'm not sure what happened to you, but two weeks after you first disappeared I got sent back to England to recruit a new mutant from the same freak show i ran from. Said mutant turned out to be my cousin and his mother was actually our grandmother. I found out that my past wasn't what I thought it was. well Grandmother gave me and Robin this huge book that was a... well like a family album of sorts. well we get back to the institute and about a week later I run into Mystique. She was really worried about you. I mean she was crying because she was so worried. Well as we were talking Your fathers name came up and I recognized it as my fathers name but I still showed Mystique a picture from the book to be sure she said that yes that was him. So then I was like well shit now I'm really worried cause now you weren't just my friend you were also my brother. well I went to talk to the professor and there was grandmother. so I asked her about what I need to do and she told me to come here and rescue you. That's how Wolverine and I ended up here. we had a hell of a fight with a bunch of guards then I cornered our older brother. I dragged him down to the dungeons where you were being held and forced him to release what ever hold he had over you. well he did and then well I could hear what he was thinking and he was just going to enslave you if I let him live so I snapped his neck."

Kurt looked at me for a moment then he nodded slowly. "I think I get it now." He said.

I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in. "Finally the fuzzy dude gets it."

Our father sighed. "It only took the both of us thirty tries to get him to this point." He began to cough harshly. He brought a hand up to his mouth and as the fit continued I noticed blood was beginning to seep between his fingers.

It was at that moment I realized I had made a fatal mistake. I never even attempted to see if my brother could heal our father. My heart broke and I ported off. I had no desire for anyone to see me cry. I ended up on some sort of balcony. The landscape was barren and hellish but I didn't care. I was away from the others and at the moment that was all that mattered. I sank to my knees by the railing. Tears brimmed in my eyes.

"How could I be so stupid?" I whispered as I began to cry.

Back in my fathers room Kurt and Wolverine were taking care of my father. His coughing fit had subsided but the blood remained. It was black and had a sick purple glow to it. Kurt picked up a cloth and reached for our fathers hand. When our father pulled away he looked confused.

"Kurt you are my son. You are at least partly neyaphem. My blood is tainted and could poison you if you are exposed to it." Azazel explained.

Kurt pulled back a bit before laying it on the bed within our father's reach. "What have you been poisoned by?" he asked.

As he picked of the cloth Azazel sighed "I do not know Kurt." as he began to clean his hands Azazel gave a small smile. "I expected your sister to stay... but you surprised me."

Kurt cocked his head to the side. "and why is that?"

Azazel smile faded a bit. "I'm not as one might say one of the good guys."

Kurt shrugged. "That doesn't make you any less of a father to me or Nocturna. Speaking of which I wonder why she ported off."

Wolverine headed for the bedroom door. "She's blaming herself. I'm going to find her before she does something stupid." the doors shut behind him with a rather loud bang.

Kurt looked at the doors rather puzzled. "He seems to care for her a great deal more than anyone else I've seen him talk to."

Azazel's smile returned. "He respects her Kurt. they might have grown up differently but its left them with similar attitudes and issues."

Kurt shook his head. "I don't see that at all. from what I see they are as different as night and day."

Azazel sighed. "Your sister is a great actress. The only people she really trusts are you, Kitty, Professor Xavier, and Wolverine."

"Why does she blame herself for what is happening to you?" Kurt asked.

"Nocturna places a very high value on family. I fear that for her to price of family may just be to high for her to bear right now." Azazel replied.


	11. Never Let Them See You Cry

I cried for an hour before I could not longer shed a tear. Since I was not yet ready to return to my father's bedside I decided to explore the castle seeing as it would be my home until my father passed on. Since I could teleport I wasn't afraid of getting lost. Right now that was the point. I just wanted to keep my distance from everyone.

At some point during my wandering I stumbled across a small lab. It was full of strange looking animals. While I was looking around a small goblin like creature walked out from between the cages.

"Well hello young lady, can I help you?" He asked.

"My name is Nocturna. I'm Azazel's daughter. I'm living here in the castle. I sort of just wandered in here. I'm sorry if I disturbed you sir." I explained.

The goblin-creature bowed to me. "You have done no such thing my lady. But if you do not mind my asking, why wander down here?"

"As you probably already know my father is dying. It is because of a fatal error on my part that such a fact remains true." I replied.

"He coughed up blood in front of you didn't he?" The goblin asked.

"Yes sir, I wished for some time to myself so I set about my exploration. Tell me Sir, do you require any assistance with your animals?" I asked.

"I do not require any help but feel free to look around. if you have any questions just ask me." he replied.

I smiled. "Thank you, Sir."

As it turned out I had several questions about the animals. All of which the goblin which I came to know as Grimlocke answered happily. He seemed to take great pride in his animals. The last cage I came to was full of what seemed to be a bunch of fluffy blue and purple kittens.

"Grimlocke, what are these?" I asked pointing to the cage.

"Those are bamfs. They are like earth house cats. Many Neyaphem keep them as pets. However bamfs are unlike cats in the fact that they usually only bond to one person and they can teleport. But don't worry these bamfs are only babies they can't teleport yet." He explained.

"They sure are cute." I said as one reached through the bars of the cage to bat at my finger.

"Would you like to have one?" Grimlocke asked.

"Well I would like to have one, but I need to be able to focus on father right now" I said as I stepped away from the cage. "speaking of my father I should probably be getting back to him now, Thank you for your time Grimlocke."

As I walked toward the door one of the bamfs started making a terrible crying sound. The next thing I knew there was a baby bamf sitting on my shoulder. It nuzzled my cheek happily.

Grimlocke chuckled. "it seems that he decided to bond with you."

I plucked the bamf off my shoulder and held him in my arms. It was the same little purple one who had been playing with my finger. "I guess I don't have any other choice but to keep him."

The bamf snuggled down into my arms and purred happily. Right about that time Wolverine opened the door.

"Finally found you." He grumbled.

"How long have I been gone?" I asked as I walked out of the room past him.

"About four hours." he said as he closed the door. "Whats up with the little purple fluff ball, and what for that matter is it?"

As we walked back to my fathers room I explained all about bamfs. Wolverine seemed quite interested in it but he did have issues with the fact it could teleport.

"You're not bringing that back to the mansion are you?" he asked.

"Well considering it would just teleport after me if I tried to leave it yes I'm taking it back with us." I almost started to cry again as I thought about what going back meant.

Wolverine stopped walking and sighed. "Quit beating yourself up over this Nocturna. There was nothing you could have done."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

" I know because I went through similar things with my parents when they died." He said as he grabbed me by the hand and started to practically dragging me behind him.

"Where are we going?" As asked as I tried to pull away.

"Some where we can talk without being overheard." Wolverine replied.

* * *

Wolverine ended up dragging me back to the balcony I had originally ported to. He turned to me and I saw his eyes . They were serious and concerned and somehow almost vulnerable.

"What do we need to talk about?" I asked.

"I can see it in how you're acting that you blame yourself. I once did the same thing..." Wolverine trailed off slightly for a moment. " I was 19 when my parents died of anthrax poisoning."

I covered my mouth in shock.

He seemed to have trouble finding the words. "I... had to sit by their bed side and watch them sicken and die."

He paused for a moment. "My mother died from the anthrax... my... my father on the other hand I'm just not sure."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Wolverine was having a really hard time talking about this. "...not much was know about mutations back when I was 19... doctors thought that it was just something special about my blood. They gave my father an injection of my blood... The reaction to it was instantly fatal..."

It was then that I saw Wolverine do something I never thought I would see him do. He began to cry. For a moment I was frozen. I didn't know what to do. Slowly I wrapped my arms around him. He tensed at first then relaxed against me, crying into my shoulder. I held him for a long moment.

"You've held that inside for a long while haven't you?" I whispered.

He nodded against my shoulder. It was so strange to see him like this. Wolverine didn't show emotions like ever, and yet in this moment here he was crying on my shoulder. My heart broke for him. I might have held a small hand in my fathers approaching demise. But Wolverine through no fault of his own caused his own fathers death. I started wondering why he would tell me something that still held so much pain for him. Judging by his reaction to revealing it I was very close to if not the first person he had told this. I was perhaps the only one to see this crack in his armor. I pulled him closer. I wasn't about to let anyone see him like that.

That simple act must have had a profound affect on Wolverine he pushed me away gently then pulled me back towards him and kissed me. It was strange and desperate like Wolverine was drowning and I was his only source of air. Not sure what else to do I kissed him back. He threaded his fingers through my hair as he pulled me closer. There was something more to the kiss but I didn't dare call it love. It couldn't be love, could it?


End file.
